1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage medium storing a game program, a game apparatus, and a game control method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a game program, a game apparatus, and a game control method, for playing a puzzle game, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a puzzle game generally well known as a falling block game, when attributes of a plurality of adjacent objects satisfy a predetermined condition, these objects are deleted. An example of related art of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2001-38047 [A63F 13/00, A63F 13/10] laid-open on Feb. 13, 2001 (Document 1). In a three-dimensional puzzle game apparatus disclosed in Document 1, a plurality of panels of different types are disposed on a cylindrical game field and a player plays a game such that he/she swaps adjacent panels with a predetermined cylindrical side being displayed. Then, when a match of at least a predetermined number of panels of the same type is created in a longitudinal or lateral direction, the panels of the matched type are deleted.
In addition, it is already known that from which viewpoint in a three-dimensional virtual space a player sees a game played in the three-dimensional virtual space is determined according to a player's operation and it is displayed as a two-dimensional game screen. An example of related art of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 11-137842 [A63F 9/22] laid-open on May 25, 1999 (Document 2). According to Document 2, a game player operates a control pad on a game apparatus main body to move a player character disposed in a virtual space in a desired direction. When the player character is caused to stop, a viewpoint of a virtual camera can be moved according to a game player's operation. A technique in which a behavior of the viewpoint of the virtual camera is improved is disclosed.
However, it seems that there are no more new ideas to be generated for the falling block game such as the one disclosed in Document 1 and even if a new falling block game appears, it can be said that the game is lacking freshness for players. On the other hand, in the technique of Document 2, the viewpoint of the virtual camera is moved only for a game operation, such as finding an object unseen on a screen, and the movement of the viewpoint of the virtual camera itself is not enjoyed as a game operation.
Even if the techniques described in these documents are combined, such combination can only provide better viewing of a game screen or cause movement of a viewpoint to make an unseen object to be seen in a falling block game, for example; thus, a new game cannot be provided.